Today we’d like to introduce you to Vanetta Johnson.
Hi Vanetta, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My story isn’t a straight line; it’s been shaped by childhood trauma, moments of joy, and the ongoing work of making meaning out of lived experience to build a purpose-driven life. I grew up navigating foster care and the mental health system, moving through environments that required adaptability and self-reliance at an early age. Those experiences shaped how I see the world and gave me a deep sensitivity to people, complexity, and unmet needs.
Over time, that sensitivity turned into a calling toward service and leadership—from a desire to see people and communities experience restoration and healing. I spent years working in nonprofit and social impact organizations, eventually stepping into executive leadership, including leading an organization connected to the very system I once came from. That full-circle experience shaped how I lead, with a commitment to honoring people’s humanity, agency, and belonging—values I had to fight for in my own journey.
Alongside my professional path, I was also doing my own restorative work—healing, unlearning, and rebuilding my sense of self. Poetry has long been one of the ways I process, reflect, and give language to experiences that don’t always fit neatly into conversation. My faith also became a steady anchor during this season and continues to guide how I navigate life.
I recently relocated from California to Austin, leaving behind a deeply beloved family, community, and professional network to begin again and pursue a bigger vision for my life. That transition has been both tender and brave—a season of re-rooting and renewal. Austin has started to feel like home in unexpected ways, reminding me of where I come from while offering space to grow into what’s next.
Today, I work as a consultant and leadership coach supporting mission-driven organizations. I’m also actively involved and volunteer at my local church. Outside of work, I’m a deep thinker and creative at heart. I enjoy spending time with loved ones, traveling, and exploring good food and nature—simple things that help me stay grounded.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My journey hasn’t been a smooth one. Because of my early life experiences, I learned how to adapt quickly and carry responsibility at a young age. Moving through the world without a stable foundation or clear roadmap shaped how I navigated life, relationships, and eventually leadership—often through trial, error, and self-reliance.
As my leadership responsibilities grew, so did the weight of expectation. Leading mission-driven work often meant holding competing realities at once—urgency and patience, compassion and accountability, vision and limits. I was carrying responsibility for people, outcomes, and organizations while still tending to my own healing. Burnout, grief, and the pressure to always be “super woman” became part of that journey, and there were seasons when leadership felt deeply lonely, with very little room to be fully human. These experiences helped me come to terms with the real cost of leadership and reinforced a lesson I now hold closely: resilience without self-care isn’t sustainable.
Today, I am more grounded as a leader—clearer about my limits, values, and responsibility to care for myself and others.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My work has taken shape across nonprofit leadership, consulting, and creative expression, and I’m currently in a season of building as an entrepreneur.
That work didn’t come through a traditional path. It was built through lived experience and hands-on responsibility rather than formal credentials. I began in operational roles, moved into direct service, and eventually into executive leadership—learning organizations from the inside out.
Some of my most meaningful work has been in foster care organizations, supporting young people as they navigated adulthood, identity, and independence. I often saw my own story reflected in theirs, which shaped how I showed up as a leader. Later, as Executive Director of Beyond Emancipation (Oakland, CA), a nonprofit serving hundreds of young adults annually, I led work focused on helping young people build self-sufficiency—getting the keys to their first apartments, graduating from college, and finding meaningful work. During this time, I received the New York Life Foundation’s Love Takes Action Award, recognizing my lived experience and leadership.
Today, I work as a consultant with various community-based organizations. This includes serving as Chief of Operations at Measure, a Texas-based, nationally recognized research and evaluation organization that uses data to mobilize communities and create social change.
I’m also building Restored., a brand that is focused on personal restoration and living with purpose. Its core framework, Destined to Flourish, helps people move from survival into clarity and agency through coaching and guided experiences, offering a practical roadmap for living their calling and connecting their lives to a larger generational story and vision.
In 2026, I’ll be releasing a poetry book titled I Dream of Butterflies, a deeply personal project centered on voice, healing, and legacy.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
I work with community-based organizations and leaders navigating growth and transition, providing consulting, interim leadership, and coaching. This work includes stepping into executive or operations roles, supporting program design, strengthening strategy and systems, and developing peer and lived-experience workforces.
Through Restored., I also support individuals in a more personal, whole-life way, using my Destined to Flourish framework to clarify purpose, healing, and generational vision.
I’m open to thoughtful collaboration and connection, especially as I continue building community in Austin. LinkedIn is the easiest way to connect.
Contact Info:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/17gaHQWiTQ/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/vanetta-johnson
Image Credits
Photos are taken by Trevor A. North
